The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-06-18


 jerk with all her strength. AlasI the end was near, and poor Mrs. Lyon went back, lost her balance, struggled a moment, then dropped a helpless heap in the warm embrace of-as she called it-"new fangled soap."
 "Therel'' said she, panting and struggling to free herself, "this all comes from buyin' them pesky, patent soap recipes. told Susan it was all fol-de-rol, payin' dollar for soap recipe when l had barrel full of just as good soft soap as ever was made. But she thought it would be so handy to cut up in chunks to wash dishes with; anyway, it was all the style, so of course it was all right. John, can't you get up and help me out?"
 A snore, both loud and long, was the only response.
 "One might as we'll call on the dead for help, as on John when he's drunk. Merciful goodnessl the doctor'll be here the first thing I know" and she redoubled her efforts to extricate her. self from the slimy mass. Reaching forward she grasped the stove, and came up on her feet, when she began to grope her way towards the bed room, without bestowing one anxious thought upon the snoring man stretched out upon the pantry floor.
 Scarce half an hour elapsed before Mrs. Lyon stepped briskly out of her room clad in bright gingham wrap per, looking as sleek and clean as plenty of soap could make her.
 AS she placed the lighted lamp upon the shelf the sound of wheels driving rapidly up to the door attracted her attention.
 dts the doctor, Pll be bound; he never keeps folks waitin' long when sent for. He's too tickled to get a patient, some folks say. And they do say he drives all round maxim folks think he has lots to do, when there ain't anybody sick. But I don't be- lieve all hear"
 The door flew open with a jerk and Dowd, without waiting to be invited, stepped briskly in, rubbing his hands almost gleefully.
 "So John has the delirium tremens, has he? Just what 1 have expected, just as I expected! No man can stand it to drink as he has been doing for the past few months and nature not succumb. It's dreadful, madam, dread full"
 Yes, it was ''dreadful p for the doc tor sat down upon that bare kitchen floor with q whack that doubled him up like jack-knife
 Mrs. Lyon turned about with a look of horror and dismay. Then coming near said apologetically:
 "Oh; it's that soap, doctor!"
 "Humph it's that soap, is it?" said the doctor sarcastically. "I'm very thankful, madam, that Pm not pro- fane man, else might be tempted to say some big words, even in the pres ence of lady,"
 "Indeed, doctor, Pm very sorry, but I'll never make another gallon, Eve found that it's possible to have too much of a good thing"
 "Well, Mrs. Lyon," said the doctor, shaking himself somewhat after the fashion of water spaniel after having regained his footing. "Where's your husband?"
 70, .yes, forgot all about him, here he is, on the pantry floor."
 The doctor stepped to the side of the prostrate John, who had continued to snore through all the exciting changes going on around him.
 "He's beastly drunk, madam. Is it such rare thing that you need to call me out in the dead of the night to listen to his swinish snoring?"
 And the doctor turned with look of disgust upon his face.
 Don't be angry with me, doctor, was so scart didn't know what was doin'? and indeed, doctor, am afraid John has pizened himself"
 "Poisoned did you say?" and a look of interest took the place of disgust. "How and when?"
 "Sit down and I will tell you all about it."
 And she did tell him all about it, how "Susan made her a new Mother Hubbard apron, and put such long strings on it that she told her they was long enough to hang a body, and how she put it on always when she had company, but one day when she went down cellar to get some sass for supper she had switched them agin them pesky iron hoops on the pork harrel and got 'em all rust, so she put some oxolid acid in a bowl and put them strings in, after she had sowed lem together so they wouldn't blow off the line.
 "Then John come home so drunk he didn't know what he was doin' and tried to eat lem, thought it was hot slaw,' and she was afraid it would pizen him."
 Before she had finished her explana-